Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes September 2012

Members Bob Booher, David Stopak, and Gail Littlefield. Town resident Wendy Harris was also present. The meeting began at 7:35 pm at the Town Council chambers.

Approval of Agenda and Adoption of Minutes.

The proposed agenda was adopted unanimously as revised. Minutes of the August 21st meeting were unanimously adopted without change.

Projects.

None submitted for review.

Report by Council liaison.

There was none.

Town Bulletin.

Wendy will write up some intersting discoveries in the archives.

Bridge.

Bob updated on the Bridge, as follows. Steve Wirtz commented that the design for the new bridge should not allow water to sheet down the slope off the street. With winter salt on the road, this will kill the vegetation. The Town’s lawyer for the bridge planning will convey the bridge sub-group’s proposed action to CSX the week of Sept 24. Thereafter, there will be a process to merge the Town’s and CSZ’ idea. This will result in a “Bridge Corridor Improvement Master Plan.” The plan includes hiring the landscape architect who did the initial survey, as well as an arborist, an engineer, and a historical bridge expert. Interpretation of the rural vernacular landscape surrounding the bridge will also be included in the actions. The planned actions will cost CSX around $1M, compared with $5M for their initially-proposed 4-lan overbridge.

PC Liaison.

Bob will attend the PC meeting on Oct 3. Gail will attend in Dec.

EMOC.

Nothing to report.

Archive Report.

Pat Patula submitted a report on the work she has done on the archives. The HPC appreciates all Pat has done. Report is attached.